HC seeks ECI affidavit on PIL questioning use of 2002 voter list for SIR

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to file an affidavit stating its position on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the use of the 2002 voters’ list for the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The ECI is conducting the SIR exercise across 12 states, including West Bengal, where assembly elections are due before mid-2026.

A division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul, along with Justice Partha Sarathi Sen, asked the ECI to submit the affidavit by November 19 and fixed the same date for the next hearing.

During the hearing, ECI counsel Anamika Pandey argued that the PIL was “not maintainable,” as a similar issue is already pending before the Supreme Court. The commission reiterated that the last SIR was conducted in 2002.

The petitioners urged the court to direct the ECI to carry out the revision using documents and information available as of 2025, rather than relying on the 2002 data. They also sought adequate security for booth-level officers (BLOs) conducting the revision, alleging that some were working in an intimidating environment.

The court directed the ECI to clarify its stance through the affidavit before the next hearing.

With PTI inputs